Rotary shelf assembly mechanism



April 7, 1964 H. E. CAMPBELL 3,127,994

ROTARY SHELF ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed Nov. 19, 1962 7477/ 7 7%% 17 Z7 29 75 I 47 O5 FlQl INVENTOR.

HOMER E. C AMPBELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,127,994 ROTARY SHELF ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Homer E. Campbell, 2921 Broadway, Fort Wayne, Ind. Fiied Nov. 19, 1962,. den. No. 238,454 Claims. (Cl. 211-144) This invention relates to a rotary shelf assembly, and more particularly it relates to a shelf assembly used in corner areas of kitchen cabinets.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a rotary shelf assembly wherein a novel mechanism serves to provide a firm stop to position the shelf or shelves in a predetermined position, and to provide a rotating assembly which will require equal pressure to turn the mechanism in either direction and to hold the shelf in substantially any position. desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel spring mechanism adapted to be adjusted to provide equal pressure on a cam so that the shelf assembly mechanism may be rotated in either direction with equal results.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary shelf assembly mechanism for use in corner areas of kitchen cabinets primarily known as a lazy Susan wherein no latch mechanism is required to hold the door in a predetermined position.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing in which a selected example of construction is set forth to illustrate the invention and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of the rotary shelf assembly mechanism; and

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along line 22 in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 11 designates a rotary shelf assembly with a portion of the cabinet removed. A rotary shelf 13 which is generally circular in shape having a cutout portion, or a V-shaped portion corresponding to cabinet door (not shown) which normally fits into the corner area of the kitchen cabinet. A detail view of the kitchen cabinet or shelf is not disclosed because they are conventional in the art.

A vertical shaft 15 is mounted for rotation about its central axis by means of a thrust and roller bearings 17 and 19. A hearing housing 21 for holding the bearing 19 is mounted to the floor 23 of the cabinet by screws 25. The bearing 17 is mounted in a bearing housing 27 attached to a plate 29 which is secured to the cabinet top 31 by screws 33. The shaft 15 is provided with a telescoping member 18 for adjustment of the shaft vertically within the cabinet. A stub shaft 16 is disposed in the other end of the shaft and adapted to rotate in the bearing 19. When the shaft is extended to its proper position it is secured by a pair of screws 35 and 37.

The tray 13 is provided with a hub 39 secured thereto by a rivet 41. The tray and hub are adjustable vertically on the shaft ll5 by allen set screws 43.

A rotatable cam 45 having a hub portion 47 is mounted on the telescoping member 18 substantially parallel to the shelf 13. The cam 45 is provided with a shallow circular peripheral notch 49 and the gradual rise portion 5 1 and a general rise portion 53 which are substantially equal. The cam is provided with a rest portion 55 connecting the highest points of the rise portions 51 and 53. A follower roller 57 constructed of hard rubber is mounted on a leaf spring 59 having a fork portion 61. The follower 57 is secured thereon by means of a pin 63. The leaf spring 59 is disposed substantially in the plane of the cam and arched to follow the periphery of. the cam 45. The leaf spring 59 is held in the plane of the cam by means of a holder or mounting bracket 65 which is slidable in a track 67 formed by a pair 0f angle irons 69 and 71 connected to the plate 29. The bracket 65 is secured in the track 67 by means of a bolt 73 having a head 74 which is larger than the slot 75 formed by the angle irons 69 and 71. The bracket 65 is provided with a side member or projection 77 having an opening or passageway 79 extending therethrough. The leaf spring 59 is secured in the passageway 79 by means of an allen set screw 81.

Operation The vertical shaft, including the telescoping members 16 and 18, is positioned in the corner area of the kitchen cabinet and the shelf 13 is positioned on the shaft 15 by the allen set screws 43 so that the notched portion (not shown) is disposed in position with relation to the doors of the cabinet (also not shown). The follower 57 is then positioned on the periphery of the cam by sliding the bracket 65 in the track 67 radially to or away from the cam 45, and secured therein by means of the bolt 7 3. The leaf spring is then adjusted in the passageway 79' so that the proper regulated pressure of the follower roller is obtained against the cam 45. The adjustment of the holder radially toward and away from the cam by means of the bracket 65 and the adjustment of the leaf spring in the passageway 79 provides the proper adjustment for the cam follower 57 so that the follower has equal pressure on the two rise portions 51 and 53 of the cam so that the cam will rotate with equal ease in either direct on. As the cam 45 is rotated the leaf spring 5% will be elongated as the follower rises on either the rise portion 51 or 53 so that pressure of the roller 57 on the cam periphery will be decreased thereby making it easier to start the rotation of the shelf assembly. It has been found in practice that when the shelf :13 is rotated the cam follower, when disposed on the rest portion 55, will hold the tray in any predetermined position desired by the operator and it will not automatically return to the notched portion 49. It is believed that this is accomplished by proper tension being placed on the leaf spring 59 by the two adjustments above described and the fact that roller 57 is constructed of rubber which will flatten out to hold the cam in the predetermined position.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary shelf assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a vertical shaft mounted for rotation about its central axis,

(b) at least one substantially circular shelf mounted on said shaft,

(0) a cam mounted on said shaft substantially parallel to said shelf,

(d) said cam having a shallow circular peripheral notch and having a gradual rise portion disposed on each side of said cam,

(e) said cam having a rest portion connecting the highest points of said rise portions and merging therewith,

(f) a follower roller for said cam,

(g) a leaf spring disposed substantially in the plane of the cam and arched to follow generally the periphery of the cam,

(11) means for rotatably mounting said roller on one end of said spring with its axis substantially parallel to that of the shaft,

(i) a holder for the other end of said spring,

enemas (j) means mounting said holder for adjustment in a substantially radial path toward and away from said cam,

(k) said holder having means defining a passageway through which the other end of the spring is passed, said passageway being substantially perpendicular to said radial path,

(I) said holder having means for securing said spring in the passageway, whereby (m) the adjustment of said holder radially toward and away from said cam and the adjustment of the spring in the passageway serving jointly to regulate the pressure of said follower roller against the cam notch to provide a firm stop and to equalize the pressure on the two rise portions of the cam so that the cam will rotate with equal ease in either direction.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said shaft comprises two axially aligned telescoping portions,

(b) said cam and shelf being mounted on the center portion of the shaft, and

(0) means for connecting the two axially aligned portions of the shaft so that they will rotate together.

3. A rotary shelf assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a vertical shaft mounted for rotation about its central axis,

(b) at least one substantially circular shelf mounted on said shaft,

(0) a cam mounted on said shaft substantially parallel to said shelf,

(d) said cam having a shallow circular peripheral notch and having a gradual rise portion disposed on each side of said cam,

(e) said cam having a rest portion connecting the highest points of said rise portions and merging therewith,

(f) a follower roller for said cam,

(g) a leaf spring disposed substantially in the plane of the cam and arched to follow generally the periphery of the cam,

(h) means for rotatably mounting said roller on one end of said spring with its axis substantially parallel to that of the shaft,

(i) adjustable mounting means for the other end of said spring,

(j) said mounting means including a track disposed in a radial path with respect to the cam,

(It) said mounting means including an L-shape member adapted to slide on said track and having a passageway through one side of the member to receive the spring so that the other end of the spring is positioned substantially perpendicular to the track, whereby (l) the adjustment of the mounting means on the track toward and away from the cam and the positioning of the spring in the passageway of the L- shape member the pressure of said follower roller is regulated to provide a firm stop and to equalize the pressure on the two rise portions of the cam so that the cam will rotate with equal ease in either direction.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said shaft comprises two axially aligned telescoping portions,

([2) said cam and shelf being mounted on the center portion of the shaft,

(6) a thrust and roller bearing mounted at each end of the shaft, and

((1) means for connecting the two axially aligned portions of the shaft so that they will rotate together.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

(a) a mounting plate is provided to support the track and one of the thrust and roller bearings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,038,567 Greengard Sept, 17, 1912 1,690,284 Doty Nov. 6, 1928 2,490,184 Wojtech Dec. 6, 1949 2,527,132 Jackson Oct. 24, 1950 3,071,426 Wassell Jan. 1, 1963 

1. ROTARY SHELF ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A VERTICAL SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS CENTRAL AXIS, (B) AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR SHELF MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, (C) A CAM MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID SHELF, (D) SAID CAM HAVING A SHALLOW CIRCULAR PERIPHERAL NOTCH AND HAVING A GRADUAL RISE PORTION DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CAM, (E) SAID CAM HAVING A REST PORTION CONNECTING THE HIGHER POINTS OF SAID RISE PORTIONS AND MERGING THEREWITH, (F) A FOLLOWER ROLLER FOR SAID CAM, (G) A LEAF SPRING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE CAM AND ARCHED TO FOLLOW GENERALLY THE PERIPHERY OF THE CAM, (H) MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID ROLLER ON ONE END OF SAID SPRING WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THAT OF THE SHAFT, (I) A HOLDER FOR THE OTHER END OF SAID SPRING, (J) MEANS MOUNTING SAID HOLDER FOR ADJUSTMENT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL PATH TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CAM, (K) SAID HOLDER HAVING MEANS DEFINING A PASSAGEWAY THROUGH WHICH THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING IS PASSED, SAID PASSAGEWAY BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID RADIAL PATH, (L) SAID HOLDER HAVING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SPRING IN THE PASSAGEWAY, WHEREBY (M) THE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID HOLDER RADIALLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CAM AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE SPRING IN THE PASSAGEWAY SERVING JOINTLY TO REGULATE THE PRESSURE OF SAID FOLLOWER ROLLER AGAINST THE CAM NOTCH TO PROVIDE A FIRM STOP AND TO EQUALIZE THE PRESSURE ON THE TWO RISE PORTIONS OF THE CAM SO THAT THE CAM WILL ROTATE WITH EQUAL EASE IN EITHER DIRECTION. 